The Reflection in the Pool
by Iceache
Summary: Angela had told her to find something that changed the meaning of humanity, and she had, only she hadn't found it in the dirt of Maluku, she'd found that something in herself. The capacity to love, to believe in love, and to hope for a love returned.
1. All that has passed

**#####SEASON 6 SPOILERS – DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED#####**

**So by now, we've all pretty much heard the bad news. There's a new lady in Booth's life and it's going to be serious. I hate it, you hate it, but we need to deal with it and in the end remind ourselves that this chick is only going to be around for 5 episodes. So, I felt that I'd like to skip over his relationship with Ashley/Hannah (last I heard it's going to be Hannah, but Ashley has been floating about out there too) and pick up the story after she and Booth had broken up.**

Brennan hadn't been herself lately, she knew that he'd noticed, and she was pretty confident that he had an idea why. He'd changed, before Afghanistan he'd have asked her what was wrong, tried to get her to open up, now it appeared that he was scared of her opening up too much. She'd changed too, naturally, it had taken her so long, _too long_, to realise that giving herself to Booth didn't mean giving herself up completely. They had missed their moment, no, _she_ had missed their moment. She had allowed her fear to drive a wedge between them and now they were so out of sync that she didn't know quite where they stood.

Angela had told her to find something that changed the meaning of humanity, and she had, only she hadn't found it in the dirt of Maluku, she'd found that something in herself. The capacity to love, to believe in love, and to hope for a love returned. She'd missed him every day, she'd thought of him when closing her eyes at night and on opening them in the morning, and while she was there in the humid heat of the jungle, she'd hoped that he was doing the same. It had come as an unwelcome shock that he hadn't.

She'd confided in Angela on her return, and though the artist was sympathetic she didn't encourage the anthropologist to devise any underhanded schemes to try and break up Booth's new relationship, nor did she suggest that Brennan tell Booth about her feelings. She'd simply hugged her friend and told her that a good man had offered her his heart, his whole heart, and that by turning him down she had given him no other option but to move on. Tears had been cried, an oath to be happy for him and support him had been undertaken, and they had all tried to move on with their lives as best as they could, but the pain had never left her.

Hannah was good for him, even she couldn't deny that, but the hurt that she felt when he looked at Hannah could be so overwhelming at times that she could scarcely draw breath. Those were the looks that he had once reserved only for her, and she had driven him away, given him reason to stop directing that gaze at her. For that reason, she held no bitterness toward Hannah, she really was an incredible woman. A better woman for Booth than she felt she could ever be.

When Hannah decided that she needed more than the press corp could offer her, Booth was devastated, he'd been testy and withdrawn. Instead of feeling relieved that the relationship was ending, Brennan could only feel the disappointment that her partner was experiencing. He loved Hannah, she knew that, and she knew firsthand how hard it was to watch someone that you love leave you behind. In a way, she'd felt that Booth had done that to her. It was irrational and not fair to him, but feelings are irrational and they refused to be suppressed by reason.

That was three months ago, it had taken Booth a while to bounce back, he was bitterly disappointed and she knew that he had begged Hannah to reconsider. She knew that he blamed himself for the breakdown of the relationship, despite her believing that it was an absurd notion. Though she would never admit it to him, she had cried for him, she didn't know why. Despite all of her efforts over the past five months since returning from Maluku, she could not force her feelings for her partner away. She'd told herself that just having him as her partner and friend, having him safe was enough for her, she'd told herself that, but she still hadn't convinced herself.

Now she finds herself sitting on the bench facing the reflecting pool, one year from today, that's what they had agreed. It wasn't rational to be sitting here of course, they'd been stateside for five months, but when she had remembered the date she'd felt compelled to come. Somehow being here on the date that they had agreed made her feel closer to him, closer to a time when he was hers and she was his everything. She'd promised him she would be here, and despite knowing that he wouldn't be here, she couldn't bear to break that promise.

So she sits alone, a half empty Styrofoam cup containing cold coffee in hand, staring at the water and reflecting on all that has happened in the past year. The chill of a fall wind numbing her skin as she grieves for a love lost.

**So... not the best opener I know, but I just thought how great it would be to see Brennan go to the pool as they agreed, and how sad it's going to be for her now that Booth has moved on and she has realised that she let him slip away. **

**I'll work on a second chapter shortly, but reviews make for speedier typing **


	2. All that may come

For all of his merits, he was lousy at relationships. He had to be, how else could he have driven a good woman away? Hannah was brilliant, sexy and charming, she'd won over his friends instantaneously, and for a while, everything was good. In Afghanistan it had been easy, easy to pretend that her voice was just breathy enough when she sighed his name, that her laughter was infectious enough to make his heart skip a beat and her eyes... well her eyes had always been a sticking point for him, her eyes lacked something that he couldn't place. Coming back to D.C. earlier than anticipated had put a strain on them both, and the cracks had begun to show. Yes he _was_ bitter, another failed relationship under his belt, and the past couple of weeks sure as hell hadn't helped with his _pissy_ mood.

_She_ was all but trying to make this as hard for him as possible, their eyes would meet and she would hold his gaze just that little bit longer, she used to be the one to pull away and now _he_ was being forced to. She didn't seem to know what she was doing, remarkably clueless as ever, but he was irked by it nonetheless. She didn't laugh around _him_ anymore, their comfortable and easy camaraderie had all but disappeared. They were polite, _professional._ God, how he hated that word.

He'd walked in on her and a conversation with Angela last week, the deep throaty laugh spilling from her upturned mouth had floored him, he'd missed it, missed her, but he didn't dare show it. The sparkle in her eyes seemed to disappear as she noticed his appearance in her doorway and an awkward silence filled the places that her laughter had recently occupied. A tight lipped smile was offered in the way of a greeting and an awkward glance towards the artist. He'd gambled one night, a year ago, and he'd lost a lot more than he'd bargained for.

It hurt to think of that night, and yet it occupied his thoughts, filled the dark crevices late into the night when sleep wouldn't come. He was a coward, had he been a better man he would have fought for her, let her have time if she needed it, but he knows he should have told her how he wouldn't give up, because when you say you are going to love someone for 30, 40 or 50 years, that's what you do, you _wait_. They had missed their chance, they could never get back to where they were, he truly believed that. _Until today._

Unable to reach her at the lab he'd gone there himself ready to fully impress his bad mood on her, to say that he was irritated to find out that she had the afternoon off would be a mild interpretation of his current emotions, but it was quickly followed by a fear of something being wrong. She never took time off of work, it would have to have been something important, getting her to eat was a task in itself. Or at least, it had been before when he had taken the time out of his day to ensure that she was eating. The fact that neither Angela nor Cam knew the reason behind her afternoon away from the lab only heightened his worry. On entering her office he noted the cellphone on her desk with seven missed calls, six from him, one from her father, and he made a mental note to call once and leave a voicemail in future. As he set the cellphone back on her desk he noticed the desk top calendar next to her monitor, today's date circled in red causing him to frown in confusion.

"Maybe she had a date."

He turned to the Artist, her swollen stomach the first place that his eyes landed before moving up to her face which unusually appeared to be blank. "Maybe."

"She's a big girl Booth, she can take care of herself."

Glancing back at the calendar he sighed. "I know that Ange.. I'm the last person you need to be telling that to."

Approaching him with a gentle smile she laid a hand on his arm "I know things have been a bit... tense recently. I know that you are hurting because of Hannah and the bre-"

His eyes shot up then to meet hers "Don't. Don't bring that up, that's the past Angela and it has nothing to do with whatever is happening with us all right now."

"Us all?" Her hands settled on her stomach protectively, she let out a soft sigh. "Booth, whatever is happening is only happening between you and Bren. You both left, and you've lost your bearings a little, you just need to find your way back to one another, that's all. Without you both, this team falls apart." Taking a seat at Brennan's desk she rested her head against the back and peered up at him. "At the airport, I was sure that you both.. I don't know, I was just sure that you would give this thing a shot, and then there was Hannah and..."

Whatever else she might have said he didn't hear, his eyes had darted back to the calendar on the desk and his eyes softened a little. "If she comes back can you tell her that I need to speak with her, she can call me. I just realised that I am supposed to be somewhere." Not giving her a chance to respond, he had quickly exited the room.

Seeley Booth believed in fate, he believed in God and he believed that love, _true love_, could last a lifetime. He believed in everything that she didn't, or at least that used to be the case. Standing on the outskirts of the mall he started to question that, because there, sitting on the bench, in front of the coffee cart, one year from today, was Temperance Brennan. Just like that night in the rain, with tequila tainted breath and sweaty palms, _he knew_.

They had missed their chance, they could never get back to where they were, he'd truly believed that. _Until today._


End file.
